Threading tool holder with slidable cover on hollow handle



April 18, 1961 w. E. COWLEY ,97 4

THREADING TOOL HOLDER WITH SLIDABLE COVER ON HOLLOW HANDLE Filed Dec. 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A ril 18, 1961 w. E. COWLEY 2, 9,742

THREADING TOQL HOLDER WITH SLIDABLE COVER 0N HOLLOW HANDLE Filed Dec. 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. & 5 1 BY E I ml United States Patent THREADING TOOL HOLDER WITH SLIDABL COVER 0N HOLLOW HANDLE Filed Dec. 8, 19ss, ser. No. 778,911 2 Claims. c1. -148) The present invention relates to improvements in hand tools, and particularly, to a combination carrier and wrench for thread forming and like instrumentalities.

The object of the invention, in general, is to provide an improved wrench and carrier of economical manufacture and simple construction that facilitates storage and use of a plurality of thread forming instrumentalities, that is exceptionally compact, and that despite its compactness provides a wrench having a long effective lever arm.

In particulan it is an object of the invention to provide, in a wrench and carrier having an instrument holding jaw assembly and a wrench arm or handle, the improvement comprising the provision of a comfortably grasped handle that is relatively short and wide, hollow and open to one side or face thereof to define a laterally open recess or well adapted for reception of a plurality of thread forming instruments or members, and a cover for said recess mounted for movement relative to said handle to open said recess and expose to view the entire contents thereof for convenient selection of an appropriate instrument. 1 V

Another object of the invention is to provide, in 'a wrench and carrier embodying the improvement above defined, the further improvement that the cover for the laterally open storage well comprises a comfortably grasped hand grip that is slidably mounted on the handle for movement longitudinally outward to constitute an extension of the handle, whereby the cover together with the handle defines an elongate wrench arm for use in threading the associated instrument or thread forming member onto or into a work piece with minimum effort.

By virtue of the above defined improvements, the invention affords a-tool having the advantages that the same constitutes an exceptionally compact storage vessel for a number of thread forming members, reveals all of the members without removal of the same from their storage well, facilitates convenient selection of a thread forming member, permits removal and insertion of the members without danger of damage thereto, and affords, despite its compactness as a storage vessel, a long effective lever arm when in use as a wrench.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved wrench and carrier embodying the defined improvements and comprising an elongate unitary body member having a jaw receiving aperture centrally between the ends thereof and a pair of handles extending outwardly in opposite directions from said aperture, each handle having a laterally open recess therein occupying the major area thereof, each said recess being wider and deeper than the largest thread forming mem her to be stored and of a relatively short length, each recess being adapted to contain a plurality of thread forming members, and a unitary cover for each of said recess'es slidably mounted on the respective handle for longitudinal sliding movement outwardly froma position covering the recess to a position wherein it constitutes an extension of the respective handle, said recesses opening-at the face of said handle; that is uppermost when the 2,919,142 Patented Apr. 18, .1961

tool is in use whereby said covers may be used as extensions of said handles without displacing the thread forming members stored in said recess A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved wrench and carrier as above defined wherein the covers'are comprised simply of sheet metal parts retained on the body solely by frictional engagement therewith.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following detailed description.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner ofmaking and using myimproved tool, I shall vdescribe, in, connection with the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the tool and preferred manners of making and using the same.

In the drawings:

Figure l is aperspective view of a preferred embodiment of a tap wrench and carrier formed according to my invention, the view being taken from the top and illustrating the condition of the same when simply storing taps;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tap wrench and, carrier taken from the bottom;

Figure 3 is a perspective, view taken from the same angle as Figure l and illustrating the condition of the tap wrench and carrier when in use;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tool with the recess covers and taps removed;

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the tool;

Figure 6 is a cross-section of the tool taken substantially centrally thereof; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawings, I have illustrated for purposes of disclosure a tap wrench and carrier embodying my present invention. As shown the preferred embodiment consists, simply, of an elongate unitary body 10, a tap holding jaw assembly 12 carried by the body centrally between the ends thereof, a plurality of taps 14 to be stored in the body to opposite sides of the assembly 12, and a pair of covers 16 carried by the body to opposite sides of the jaw assembly for retaining the taps'in the body.

The body 10 preferably comprises a unitary casting, suitably zinc, having a centrally located rectangular frame portion 18 defining a transverse jaw receiving aperture 20. To opposite sides of the portion 18, the body includes a pair of outwardly extending handles or hand grip portions 22, whichare preferably quite short and wide. The faces of the handles 22, Le, the surfaces perpendicular to the axis of the aperture 20, are preferably flat, and the sides of the handles are preferably convex. However, the exact configuration is not especially critical for purposes of the present invention. Within each of the handles, I provide a laterally open recess 24 which preferably opens to one face of the respective handle and occupies the major part of the surface area thereof, whereby each recess is quite wide, but relatively shallow and short. The two recesses preferably open to the same face of the tool and are preferably both of the same size. With regard to specific size, each recess is of alength and depth onlyslightly greater than the length and major diameter, respectively, of the largest oneof the taps 14 tobe stored, and of a width significantly greater than the diameter of that tap, whereby each recess is adapted for Ice reception therein of a plurality of taps in parallel substantially coextensive relation, and whereby the contents taps.

The jaw assembly 12 is mounted within the aperture 20 of thebody and inludesa stationaryrjaw 26,a movable jaw 28 and screw means30 for' jeffecting'move} ment of the jaw 28; The frameportion' 18jof the body is provided with flat interior'surfac'e's, and the jaws 26 and 28 are similarly provided with'fiat sides and of a width to bejconformably received between thef'opp'osite sides of the frame, whereby the jawsare retained against relative rotation within the frame. The movableja'w 28 is first installed in the aperture and includes a stem 32 adapted to extend through a hollow boss 34 provided atone side of the'tool'as partof the frame18; "Threaded into this boss, by means of arightehand thread, is an externally projecting hollow adjusting 'Istud 36, the interior of which'has threaded connection, by means of a required'for compact storage of the desired number of left-hmd thread, with the stem 32 of the jaw 28, whereby the two threaded'connections cooperate in advancingand retracting the jaw upon manual rotation of the outer end portion of the stud 36.? After'assemblyof the jaw"28 and stud 36, the'stationary jaw 26 is positioned in the end portion of the frame 18 opposite the boss 34, the jaw 26 being retained in the frame by means of aset screw 38 extending inwardly and downwardly through the frame 18 from one of the recesses 245% shown in Figure 5. After assembly of the jaw 26, the jaw 28 is retained in the frame against disassociat ion from'the tool by virtue of'the threaded connections of the stem 32,.the stud' 36 and the boss 34, which are so assembled as to prevent disconnection of the threads except'upon movement of the jaw 28 toward the position occupied by the jaw 26 after removal of the'latter. The jaws 26 and 28 are provided centrally thereof'with aligned V-shap'ed recessesdefining square socket for reception thereb'etween of the conventional square shanks of the taps 14, the jaws being adjustable to receive and clamp therebetween' the shanks of a plurality of difierent'sizes of taps.

The tapsused in conjunction with the" tool 'of I the inven- 1 tion may be standard or conventional inall resp ects, and a selected number of taps of selected,"commonly encountered sizes are preferablysuppli'ed' with the tool.

The covers 16, since the handles 22 and'recesses 24 V are identical, are also preferably identical. Each cover,

in the preferred embodiment of the tool, comprises a unitary sheet metal stamping of a length slightly greater than the length of one recess 24 but slightly less than the length of one 'handle'22. The cross-sectionalv configuration of each cover is of generally U-shap'e and complementary to the cross-sectional configuration of the handies 22. In particular,"each cover preferably includes a 'flat, wide bight portion and a, pair ofo'utwardly convexinwardly concave leg portions which are adapted to mate I with and'frictionally and slidably engage the sides of the handle on whichmounted. The degree of curvature of the sides of the handles and the legs of the covers is preferably such that the covers can be snapped onto and off of the handles by movement transversely thereof.

Generally, however the predominant direction'of move- 7' ment of the covers is longitudinally of the handles, so that the covers may he slid, respectively, onto the handles from the outer ends thereof with the legs of the covers frictionally engaging the sides of the handles and propriate manipulation of the stud 36 to permit use of the body 10 as a wrench in threading the tap into a work piece. The tap is preferably mounted in the jaw assembly so as to extend from the face of the tool opposite the face to which .therecesses open, so that the covers 16 may be extended and the recesses left open without resulting in-displacement .of the 'stored'itaps,. at least when. tapping downwardly intothe'wall of a generally upright bore. The body 10 isemployed as a hand grip in a conventional'manner' in initially startin'gjth'e tap in the bore. As resistance to threading fincreases, the operator may shift his hands to the handles 22 in order to apply greaterforce to the tap. As threading resistance increases istilLfurther, the operator may slide the covers 16 outwardly toward the outer ends of the handles to a position wherein the covers constitute longitudinal extensions of the handles, whereupon the, op erator may utilize these extensions, with the attendant advantage of longer, lever arms, in applying maximum forceto the tap. As extended, the covers have substantiallyrigid engagement with the handles, due to themating engagement of the two, wherebyuse of thecovers'as extensions of the effective wrench arm is facilitated. Due to'the configuration thereof, both the handles'and the covers afford convenient hand grips for the operator; After threading is completed, the tap employed is convenientlyreturned to one of the recesses 24, the covers 16 are slid closedjand the tool is returned to its original or normal condition. V

Thus, the present invention provides a'short, compacttool that is but slightly longer than would be necessary simplyifo'rstorage in each handle thereof of a single tap, that stores a large number of tapsjin this short length and in a conveniently and readily ac'cessiblemanne'r wherein thetaps are protected from abuse and are not required to be inserted or removed in such' mannerfas would damage their threads, that exposes allof the'taps to direct view while in their storage wells and facilitates removal of a selected tap without necessity for removal 'of the remainder of the taps, and that, despite its compactness, affords exceptionally long lever arms for use in, applying a selected tap to a work piece. As is obvious, all of these advantages would likewise be attained by application of thedescribed improvements to a single arm tap storing and manipulating tool, and to the functions'of storing and manipulating thread forming dies. Moreover, the tool of the invention consists of a minimum number of parts, each manufactured and assembled in a most simple manner. Accordingly, it hasbeen shown herein that the objects and advantages of'the invention are obtained in aconvenient, economical andpractical manner. v V t v While I have shown and described what I regard to bethe preferred embodiment of'my invention,it is'apparent that various changes, rearrangements 'andmodifications may be made therein without departing frointhe scope'of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. Iclaim: e 1. 'A tool for storing and manipulating thread forming members and the like comprising an elongate'unitar'y body member having a jaw-receiving transversely-apertured frame centrally between the ends thereof and a the bight portions of the covers overlying the open sides of the respective recesses 24. v

As thus mounted, he covers 16 normally close the recesses 24 and retain the taps 14 therein in'compactly stored condition. When it is desired to use a tap, each cover may readily he slid independently of the other outwardly on the respective'handle to open the respective recess and expose to view the entire contents thereof. Thus, selection of theappropriateftapis greatly facili;

tated,and.,the're is no need to reniovefroni the recesses the'tap's other'than the selected one. {The selected tea is??? i ?mi te istwesn h Je s 26n qttbe pair 'of'handles extending outwardly inopposite directions from said apertured frame, said handles each being relatively short, having two oppositely dispo'sedconvex sides and having'a laterally openstorage recesstherein occupying substantially the full area thereof, each recess opening solely to one facexof the respectivehandle between said convex sides and both recesses o ening to one face of said body to which said apertured frame opens,'each of saidrecesses being jrelatively "wide and deep and adapted .for reception therein of a .plilrality of thread forming members, and acover for each of said recesses semia ids a member list n a. eral y Unhansdsrps sectional configuration including a flat wide bight portion to overlie the recess opening and a pair of outwardly convex-inwardly concave leg portions adapted to mate with and frictionally engage the convexed sides of the respective handles, said covers having a length greater than the length of the recess in the respective handle and normally closing the recess, said cover being slidable outwardly on the respective handle to open the recess and expose the contents thereof to view, each cover when slid outwardly on the respective handle constituting a longitudinal extension thereof and together with the handle providing a long wrench arm for the tool.

2. A tool as set forthin claim 1 for storing and manipulating taps, wherein each of said recesses is wider and deeper and only slightly longer than the longest tap to be stored and is adapted for reception therein of a plurality of taps in parallel side by side substantially coextensive relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 239,115 Roeber Mar. 22, 1881 1,148,406 Reid July 27, 1915 1,663,103 Thompson Mar. 20, 1928 

